I loved the game scene between Sherlock and Mycroft where it looked like they were playing chess...and then we realize they're playing OPERATION!

I wasn't sure how I'd react to Mary...but I think I like her!

I liked the survival scenario scene where Sherlock kissed Molly...sexy! And then later when he actually kissed her on the cheek...aaaaaaaw! And the reveal of Molly's Sherlock-lite boyfriend was hilarious!!

And it was BRILLIANT to cast Benedict's actual parents Wanda Ventham and Timothy Carlton to play Sherlock's parents!

(I didn't get much sleep...may add more thoughts later....)

EDIT:

I loved the restaurant scene where Sherlock plays the smarmy French waiter...HILARIOUS!

I loved the game scene between Sherlock and Mycroft where it looked like they were playing chess...and then we realize they're playing OPERATION!

I wasn't sure how I'd react to Mary...but I think I like her!

I liked the survival scenario scene where Sherlock kissed Molly...sexy! And then later when he actually kissed her on the cheek...aaaaaaaw! And the reveal of Molly's Sherlock-lite boyfriend was hilarious!!

And it was BRILLIANT to cast Benedict's actual parents Wanda Ventham and Timothy Carlton to play Sherlock's parents!

(I didn't get much sleep...may add more thoughts later....)

I loved the restaurant scene where Sherlock plays the smarmy French waiter...HILARIOUS!

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ITA with all of this. Except I didn't know that it was Benedict's actual parents -- that's so cool! (Mycroft being tortured in having to take them to Les Mis -- hilarious!)

I'm also really glad they had the multiple versions of how Sherlock faked his death ... but never said which was the actual way. Such a fantastic way to acknowledge the fans. (And the Scottish girl's version that ended with Sherlock and Moriarty kissing ... ).

And major kudos to the writing & editing of the scene that flashed back and forth between Sherlock & and Mrs Hudson, and John in his (obviously) boring GP job. Especially:

Mrs Hudson: "And what did John say?"
Sherlock: "He said F..."
(quick cut to John): "Cough."

Brilliant return of Sherlock. I was on th edge of my seat waiting for the next revelation.
It was intense, witty, and even a little romance (the kiss w/Molly and the the kiss w/ Moriarty on the roof).
I will have to re-watch this episode because there were so many twists and turns I want to
make sure I did not miss anything. I thought that they humanized Sherlock a little in
this episode but will it last.

Are you sure? There was quite a bit of a wait: there tons of "next week" previews, ads, and thanks to our sponsors to get through first. But since the program was only 90 minutes and the timeslot was booked for the full 2 hours (on the Seattle broadcast), I waited, just in case ... and was rewarded.

Are you sure? There was quite a bit of a wait: there tons of "next week" previews, ads, and thanks to our sponsors to get through first. But since the program was only 90 minutes and the timeslot was booked for the full 2 hours (on the Seattle broadcast), I waited, just in case ... and was rewarded.

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Yeah I left the channel on for 1.5 hours after Sherlock ended and there was nothing except a brief preview of the next episode and an equally brief interview with Benedict Cumberbatch.

The reveal in Serbia that the man being beaten is Sherlock (!) and one of his guards is Mycroft (!!).

That scene with Watson and Mrs. Hudson where he tells her he's met someone, and she assumes it's a MAN! Such a witty, bantering exchange that ends with Watson declaring "I'M*NOT*GAY!"

The very tense scenes of John trapped in that Guy Fawkes bonfire as Sherlock frantically tries to rescue him. (Nice reference point since they are about to investigate a plan to bomb Parliament...and that's what Fawkes attempted.)

The very tense scenes of John trapped in that Guy Fawkes bonfire as Sherlock frantically tries to rescue him. (Nice reference point since they are about to investigate a plan to bomb Parliament...and that's what Fawkes attempted.)

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That was well done, and I loved how it brought Mary & Sherlock together. The scheduling of the Guy Fawkes thing struck me as odd, though. I suppose some places might move bonfire night to the weekend closest to Nov 5, but traditionally bonfire night is on Nov 5, weekend on not. So for them to have the bonfire night on Nov 4 instead seemed weird.

(And really, what idiot at Westminster schedules a big, all-night debate for parliament on Nov 5 for hank's sake? )

When they had the kids doing their "penny for the Guy" thing early in the episode (when John went back to Baker St, before Sherlock's reappearance), I did think at the time that it was foreshadowing. And it's been a long time since I read the Conan Doyle books -- was this one based on one of his stories? (I vaguely remember the first Downey Sherlock movie being about a plot to bomb parliament ...)

On the off-topic section of Planet Gallifrey (the Doctor Who board) the Sherlock discussion took a wild left-hand turn in a discussion of the accuracy - or lack thereof - and then the usual who cares/I care about the schedule and etc, etc, of the Undergound line and the type of train, and how long it took and etc., etc. Totally had me at the irony.

Loved John's reaction to the return, loved the scenarios, loved the reveal of Molly's boyfriend and the pause Sherlock made as he put on his scarf. I love that fact that BC's real parents played his on-screen parents. And I like Mary. I just hope she doesn't share the fate of book Mary, but they've changed things up in many areas all along, that it isn't inevitable.

When I first saw the ep, my thought was, fun,lots of fan service, but slightly underwhelmed. But, I also thought that they needed to set up whatever was coming.

In other matters. The only things that seemed to be cut were a couple of words. In one case, in the bomb diffusing scene John calls Sherlock a "cock", and I think he did it in one other instance. So - that's good.

Earlier tonight I was asked to transcribe Mycroft and Sherlock&#8217;s little duel in deduction over that hat. I have now done so. There&#8217;s a lot to be pulled out of this for analysis, but it&#8217;s late, so I will give it to you without commentary, for now. It&#8217;s not perfect, at all. With my thanks to drinkingcocoa-tpp, theprogressofspring and cakeanddust for the corrections.